Pyroclasts (album)
| Pyroclasts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
))_-_Pyroclasts.png) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 25, 2019 | |||
| Recorded | July 2018 | |||
| Studio | Electrical Audio (Chicago, Illinois) | |||
| Genre | Drone metal | |||
| Length | 43:56 | |||
| Label | Southern Lord (SUNN333) | |||
| Producer | Greg Anderson, Stephen O'Malley | |||
| Sunn O))) chronology | ||||
| ||||
Pyroclasts is the ninth studio album by American drone metal band Sunn O))).[1] The album was released through Southern Lord Records on October 25, 2019. Pyroclasts was recorded and mixed by Steve Albini (Nirvana, Neurosis, Godspeed You! Black Emperor) entirely using analog tape. In addition to Greg Anderson and Stephen O'Malley, the album features collaborators Tos Nieuwenhuizen, Tim Midyett and Hildur Guðnadóttir.
Pyroclasts was written and recorded alongside what has been described as a "sister album"[2] or a "fraternal twin"[3] album titled Life Metal that was released six months earlier on April 26, 2019. Sunn O))) plus additional collaborators live recorded a new 11-minute improvised drone session at the start or end of each day during the recording of Life Metal. Pyroclasts is a collection of four of those tracks.[4] The title refers to volcanic airborne pyroclastic rock.[5]
Critical reception
[edit]| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The 405 | 8/10[7] |
| AllMusic |    [8] |
| Classic Rock | 3/10[9] |
| Consequence of Sound | B[10] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 8/10[11] |
| Mojo | [12] |
| Pitchfork | 8.0/10[13] |
| PopMatters | 8/10[14] |
| Uncut | 8/10[15] |
Upon its release, Pyroclasts received positive reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, Pyroclasts received an average score of 74, based on ten reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[6] In the review for AllMusic, Thom Jurek wrote that "The forward evolution of Life Metal has been balanced and extended into a mercurial spirit through formless, receptive interaction on Pyroclasts."[8]
Jason Anderson of Uncut praised the album, writing that "The results may comprise the most finely distilled example of Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson's deconstruction of heavy metal riffage, with each of these tracks demonstrating the infinite varieties of fuzz and rumble that exist within a single mighty note."[15]
Classic Rock gave the album a 3/10 score, writing, "Four 11-minute 'improvised modal drones' recorded by Steve Albini during the Life Metal sessions for which we're supposed to be grateful. This is why punk happened. Get a grip."[9]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Stephen O'Malley and Greg Anderson[16]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Frost (C)" | 10:55 |
| 2. | "Kingdoms (G)" | 11:04 |
| 3. | "Ampliphædies (E)" | 11:03 |
| 4. | "Ascension (A)" | 10:54 |
| Total length: | 43:56 | |
Personnel
[edit]Pyroclasts personnel adapted from LP liner notes.[16]
Sunn O)))
- Greg Anderson – electric guitar
- Stephen O'Malley – electric guitar, electric bass guitar
Additional musicians
- Hildur Guðnadóttir – electric cello, haldorophone
- Tim Midyett – electric baritone guitar
- Tos Nieuwenhuizen – Moog Rogue synthesizer
Production
- Steve Albini – recording, mixing (at Electrical Audio in July 2018)
- Greg Anderson – production
- Matt Colton – mastering (at Metropolis, London in July 2019)
- Stephen O'Malley – production
Artwork and design
- Samantha Keely Smith – paintings
References
[edit]- ^ Minsker, Evan (August 28, 2019). "Sunn O))) Announce New Album Pyroclasts". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
- ^ Ludwig, Jamie (April 18, 2019). "First Listen: Sunn O))), 'Life Metal'". NPR. Retrieved April 19, 2019.
- ^ Hernandez 2019, p. 33
- ^ Slingerland, Calum (August 28, 2019). "Sunn O))) Ready New Album 'Pyroclasts'". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
- ^ Stanley, Terence (April 23, 2019). "Sunn O))) trade dark for light on Life Metal". Guitar Magazine. BandLab Technologies. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ a b "Pyroclasts by Sunn O))) Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ Dedman, Todd (October 28, 2019). "Review: Sunn O))) take a more meditative, luminescent approach on Pyroclasts". The 405. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ a b Jurek, Thom (October 25, 2019). "Sunn O))) – Pyroclasts | Songs, Reviews Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ a b "Sunn O))): Pyroclast". Classic Rock. No. 268. November 2019. p. 85.
- ^ Pementel, Michael (October 23, 2019). "Sunn O))) Unleash Radiant Distortion on Pyroclasts". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ Lilly, Evan (October 30, 2019). "Pyroclasts is a fittingly accomplished conclusion to a monumental year for Sunn O)))". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ "Sunn O))): Pyroclasts". Mojo. No. 313. December 2019. p. 94.
- ^ Martin-McCormick, Daniel (October 29, 2019). "Sunn O))): Pyroclasts". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ Stasis, Spyros (November 8, 2019). "Sunn O))) Revisit the World of 'Life Metal' with 'Pyroclasts'". PopMatters. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
- ^ a b Anderson, Jason (November 2019). "Sunn O))): Pyroclasts". Uncut. No. 270. p. 33.
- ^ a b Pyroclasts (Media notes). Southern Lord Records. 2019. LP liner notes. SUNN333.
